Sportsman{3 s muscle developer game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game type exerciser for the hands and arm muscles for indoor and outdoor use. Hand grips are combined with a reel and an elastic cord tethers a converted golf ball which in the game aspect of the item must be placed upon a golf tee after the hands of the user have been exercised by reeling the elastic tether first to raise the ball and then to lower the ball onto the tee and this tee can be inserted into the ground for outdoor use or be supported on a generally spherical element similar to a golf ball for indoor use, the spherical element being weighted so that the golf tee is biased into upright position but easily deflected by the tethered ball to increase the difficulty in placing the ball on the tee, this feature and the tendency for the ball to bounce up and down on the elastic tether combine to demand considerable skill in playing the game, the rules of the game of course being related to the time required to locate the tethered ball on the tee.

United States Patent [1 1 Crossley [451 Apr. 23, 1974 [76] Inventor: Charles E. Crossley, 2553 Hardy Dr., Lemon Grove, Calif. 92045 [22] Filed: June 30, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 268,099

[52] U.S. Cl 273/95 A, 272/67, 273/1 R [51] Int. Cl. A63f 9/00, A63b23/00 [58] Field of Search 273/1 R, 1 M, 202-212,

Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro Attorney, Agent, or FirmRoy L. Knox 5 7] ABSTRACT A game type exerciser for the hands and arm muscles for indoor and outdoor use. Hand grips are combined with a reel and an elastic cord tethers a converted golf ball which in the game aspect of the item must be placed upon a golf tee after the hands of the user have been exercised by reeling the elastic tether first to raise the ball and then to lower the ball onto the tee and this tee can be inserted into the ground for outdoor use or be supported on a generally spherical element similar to a golf ball for indoor use, the spherical element being weighted so that the golf tee is biased into upright position but easily deflected by the tethered ball to increase the difficulty in placing the ball on the tee, this feature and the'tendency for the ball to bounce up and down on the elastic tether combine to demand considerable skill in playing the game, the rules of the game of course being related to the time required to locate the tethered ball on the tee.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SPORTSMANS MUSCLE DEVELOPER GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Prior to my invention several items have been developed, and some patented, for exercising the muscles of the hands and arms but these prior art devices do not incorporate game features without which considerably greater discipline must be applied to attain equivalent exercising. Former exercising devices rely on the lifting of weights and/or the twisting of hand-gripped elements against torque varying means such as tightenable slip washers and springs. There is a need, however, for a hand, wrist and arm muscle exerciser which requires fast muscle flexing combined with precision control and coordination of the muscles of both hands as well as many of the other muscles involved inproper golfing stances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As claimed, the present item satisfies the immediately abovementioned need and comprises a bar having hand grips on each end and spaced apart at the center of the bar to define a reel upon which an elastic cord or tether is wound by two-handed rotation of the bar, the free end of the cord or tether carrying a golf ball or simulated golf ball, and the above is used with a target comprising a golf tee supported in an easily deflected base illustrated as a generally spherical member which is weighted so as to be self-righting into a position with the golf tee upright. Alternatively the golf tee can be withdrawn from the base and used outdoors as a simple tee.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view on a reduced scale, showing the tether fully wound on the spindle with the ball elevated in full lines, and showing, in dash line, the same ball lowered onto the T-base;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the tee, without the ball portion of the base, as used outdoors; and

FIG. 4 illustrates the toppling action of the T-base resulting from an inaccurate ball manipulation and also indicating structure to make the T-base self-righting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING As illustrated, a preferred form of this invention employs an elongated bar which may be a wooden dowel upon which are pressed a pair of hand grips '12, 12, the hand grips being spaced apart at the center of the bar to define a reel 14. On the reel 14 one end of an elastic cord or tether 16 is secured and the other end 18 of the cord or tether is secured to a ball 20. A suitable means for such securement is a simple screw eye 22 which is screwed into the ball 20 and to which the tether is tied. The ball 20 is preferably either an actual or simulated golf ball. v

A target generally indicated by the numeral 24 comprises an actual or simulated golf tee 26 removably but firmly inserted into a bore 28 in a generally spherical base 30. The base 30 is weighted as at 32 and presents a small flat face 34 at or near the weight 32 so that the base 30 is self-righting to erect the golf tee 26 should the latter be toppled or deflected by the ball 20 as indicated in FIG. 4.

When used indoors the golf tee 26 is inserted in the bore 28, of the base, but where used outdoors the golf tee can be simply driven into the ground 36 as indicated in FIG. 3. The item is proposed to be used in competition between two or more players each having a complete assembly and competing to place the ball 20 on the tee 24 more quickly than the other players. The elasticity of the cord or tether 16 greatly increases the difficulty in such placement since the ball 20 tends to bounce up and down. Although the rules of the game may be varied, the apparatus represents very fine means for exercising the muscles of the arm, wrist and hand in coordination with other muscles required to be controlled for good balance and stance, including the keep-your-head-down and eye-on-the-ball practice. For such maximum exercise the ball should be reeled up from the ground position to the position in full line in FIG. 2, swung once around the reel 10 and then lowered onto the tee 24 as indicated in dash line in the same figure. The player naturally keeps his head down for better viewing of the target and must very rapidly and alternatively grip and release the hands grips l2, 12 thus almost unconsciously exercising the muscles of the wrist and hand.

I claim:

1. A sportsmans muscle developer game apparatus, comprising:

an elongated bar;

generally cylindrical hand grips on both end portions of said bar;

a reel fixed between said hand grips;

a ball having a flexible tether windable on said reel;

and

a target element comprising a generally spherical base and capable of receiving said ball.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said target element includes a golf tee and said generally spherical base is weighted in a bottom portion thereof so that the target element is self-righting.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said reel is a portion of said bar exposed between said hand grips. 

1. A sportsman''s muscle developer game apparatus, comprising: an elongated bar; generally cylindrical hand grips on both end portions of said bar; a reel fixed between said hand grips; a ball having a flexible tether windable on said reel; and a target element comprising a generally spherical base and capable of receiving said ball.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said target element includes a golf tee and said generally spherical base is weighted in a bottom portion thereof so that the target element is self-righting.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said reel is a portion of said bar exposed between said hand grips. 